Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews (comfort 40/60). Based on 31 + 27 road tests and 910 + 6,665 owner reviews. How we score
Pilot Sport 4 S is ahead, 83–72
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Tests 74 · 31 tests Owners 66 · 910 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 9 in 2018 Sport Auto 19 inch UHP and Track Day Tyre Test (wet braking)
“I have Fallen FK510s and live where it rains 300 days a year, they perform great and I'm sure the 520 is even better”
Tests 81 · 27 tests Owners 86 · 6,665 reviews
Best test result: #1 of 15 in 2021 Auto Bild 19 inch Summer Tyre Test (dry braking)
“A note about the pilot sport 4 S: in cold weather (below 5 degrees) even if it isn't icy, the tyre compound hardens and has dramatically reduced grip. They are excellent summer tyres though, good in the wet too. These days I run Uniroyal rainsport 5 and they're very good.”
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
| Source | Azenis FK510 | Pilot Sport 4 S |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 28 / 25 tests | 73 | 95 |
| Reviews found online | 74 | 92 |
| Dry Braking (% of best) · 8 shared tests · wins 1–7 | 94% | 99% |
| Dry Handling (% of best) · 8 shared tests · wins 1–7 | 97% | 99% |
| Dry Handling (tester's mark) (% of best) · 4 shared tests · wins 0–4 | 78% | 96% |
Azenis FK510: 60% × 72.8 + 40% × 74.2 = 73
Pilot Sport 4 S: 60% × 94.6 + 40% × 91.5 = 93
| Source | Azenis FK510 | Pilot Sport 4 S |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 29 / 26 tests | 88 | 86 |
| Reviews found online | 78 | 91 |
| Straight Aquaplaning (% of best) · 7 shared tests · wins 4–3 | 96% | 95% |
| Wet Handling (tester's mark) (% of best) · 4 shared tests · wins 2–2 | 85% | 83% |
| Wet Braking (% of best) · 8 shared tests · wins 4–3 | 97% | 96% |
| Wet Circle (% of best) · 2 shared tests · wins 0–2 | 96% | 98% |
| Wet Handling (% of best) · 8 shared tests · wins 5–3 | 97% | 96% |
Azenis FK510: 60% × 88.4 + 40% × 78 = 84
Pilot Sport 4 S: 60% × 85.9 + 40% × 90.5 = 88
| Source | Azenis FK510 | Pilot Sport 4 S |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | ≈ 62 (est.) | – |
| Reviews found online | 45 | – |
Azenis FK510: 60% × 62.4 (est.) + 40% × 44.9 = 55
No road tests of snow for Azenis FK510. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).
| Source | Azenis FK510 | Pilot Sport 4 S |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 6 / 6 tests | 40 | 70 |
| Reviews found online | 67 | 84 |
| Comfort (tester's mark) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 | 60% | 90% |
Azenis FK510: 40% × 40.1 + 60% × 66.9 = 56
Pilot Sport 4 S: 40% × 70.4 + 60% × 83.5 = 78
| Source | Azenis FK510 | Pilot Sport 4 S |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 18 / 20 tests | 66 | 70 |
| Reviews found online | 67 | ≈ 66 (est.) |
| Noise (% of best) · 6 shared tests · wins 1–2 | 99% | 99% |
Azenis FK510: 60% × 66 + 40% × 66.6 = 66
Pilot Sport 4 S: 60% × 70.3 + 40% × 66.3 (est.) = 69
No owner ratings of noise for Pilot Sport 4 S. The owner half is the owners’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests, so the tests say nothing about how owners would rate it.
| Source | Azenis FK510 | Pilot Sport 4 S |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 5 / 1 tests | 73 | 70 |
| Reviews found online | 54 | 74 |
| Tested Tread Life (Miles) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–1 | 54% | 62% |
Azenis FK510: 60% × 73.1 + 40% × 54.2 = 66
Pilot Sport 4 S: 60% × 70.2 + 40% × 74.1 = 72
| Source | Azenis FK510 | Pilot Sport 4 S |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews found online | 71 | 90 |
| Source | Azenis FK510 | Pilot Sport 4 S |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) · 19 / 23 tests | 50 | 72 |
| Rolling Resistance (% of best) · 7 shared tests · wins 1–6 | 91% | 94% |
| Category | Falken Azenis FK510 | Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 72 | 83 |
| Dry | 73 | 93 |
| Wet | 84 | 88 |
| Snow | 55 | – |
| Comfort | 56 | 78 |
| Noise | 66 | 69 |
| Treadwear | 66 | 72 |
| Handling (owners) | 71 | 90 |
| Efficiency | 50 | 72 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.
Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.
Azenis FK510
Pilot Sport 4 S
Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.
Per discipline: the average % of the best tire over every test both tires were in, and how many of those tests each one won. “Different tests” rows compare results from separate tests.
In the overall rankings of 12 tests that ran both, Falken Azenis FK510 finished ahead 0 times and Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S 12 times.
| Discipline | Category | Azenis FK510 | Pilot Sport 4 S | Δ | Head-to-head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | Dry | 94% | 99% | −4.3 | 1–7 in 8 shared tests Newest: 2025 Tire Rack UUHP Summer Tyre Test · 275/35 R19 |
| Dry Handling | Dry | 97% | 99% | −2.0 | 1–7 in 8 shared tests Newest: 2025 Tire Rack UUHP Summer Tyre Test · 275/35 R19 |
| Dry Handling (tester's mark) | Dry | 78% | 96% | −18.5 | 0–4 in 4 shared tests Newest: 2025 Tire Rack UUHP Summer Tyre Test · 275/35 R19 |
| Curved Aquaplaning | Wet | 70% #6/9 · 2022 AUTO Straßenverkehr Summer Tire Test R19 | 96% #4/7 · 2025 Autobild Sportcars Summer Tire Test R20 | – | Different tests |
| Straight Aquaplaning | Wet | 96% | 95% | +0.7 | 4–3 in 7 shared tests Newest: 2021 Auto Bild UUHP Summer Tyre Test · 265/35 R20 |
| Wet Braking | Wet | 97% | 96% | +0.6 | 4–3 in 8 shared tests Newest: 2025 Tire Rack UUHP Summer Tyre Test · 275/35 R19 |
| Wet Circle | Wet | 96% | 98% | −1.6 | 0–2 in 2 shared tests Newest: 2025 Tire Rack UUHP Summer Tyre Test · 275/35 R19 |
| Wet Handling | Wet | 97% | 96% | +1.2 | 5–3 in 8 shared tests Newest: 2025 Tire Rack UUHP Summer Tyre Test · 275/35 R19 |
| Wet Handling (tester's mark) | Wet | 85% | 83% | +1.8 | 2–2 in 4 shared tests Newest: 2025 Tire Rack UUHP Summer Tyre Test · 275/35 R19 |
| Wet Lateral Stability | Wet | 80% #3/9 · 2022 AUTO Straßenverkehr Summer Tire Test R19 | 80% #2/10 · 2023 AUTO Straßenverkehr 2023 Summer Tire Test R18 | – | Different tests |
| Comfort (tester's mark) | Comfort | 60% | 90% | −30.0 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2019 Sport Auto 20 Inch UHP Tyre Test · 245/30 R20 |
| Exterior Noise | Noise | 70% #8/9 · 2022 AUTO Straßenverkehr Summer Tire Test R19 | 99% #2/7 · 2025 Autobild Sportcars Summer Tire Test R20 | – | Different tests |
| Noise | Noise | 99% | 99% | −0.3 | 1–2 in 6 shared tests Newest: 2021 Auto Bild UUHP Summer Tyre Test · 265/35 R20 |
| Tested Tread Life (Miles) | Treadwear | 54% | 62% | −7.6 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2022 Consumer Reports Ultra High Performance Summer Tires · 215/60R18 |
| Rolling Resistance | Efficiency | 91% | 94% | −2.8 | 1–6 in 7 shared tests Newest: 2021 Auto Bild UUHP Summer Tyre Test · 265/35 R20 |
| Also published by the testers (not in the score) | |||||
| Price | Cost | 77% | 48% | +29.3 | 6–0 in 6 shared tests Newest: 2021 Auto Bild UUHP Summer Tyre Test · 265/35 R20 |
| Road Rating (tester's mark) | Other | 87% | 90% | −3.2 | 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2025 Tire Rack UUHP Summer Tyre Test · 275/35 R19 |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | #7/10 | #5/10 | – | 0–12 in 12 shared tests Newest: 2025 Tire Rack UUHP Summer Tyre Test · 275/35 R19 |
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Community members frequently view the Falken Azenis FK510 as an affordable, budget-friendly alternative to premium tires like Michelin Pilot Sports, offering strong wet weather grip and good everyday road comfort. However, opinions are mixed due to rapid treadwear, with multiple drivers reporting bald tires in 10,000 to 15,000 miles or poor durability during track and autocross sessions. Furthermore, some users note compromises in steering response, road noise, and overall performance compared to top-tier max performance tires.
“I've got a set of Falken Azenis FK510 on my 20" Detroits, which I've been running for several years. They weren't expensive at the time and not noticeably different to the Pirellis on before - I would buy them again.”
“ST feels boaty on new Falken’s I recently purchased a set of 245/40/18 Falken Azenis FK510 to put on my stock wheels. After, the car feels like it’s constantly driving on a wet road. Even after getting heat into the tires, the car feels boaty and like the rear end doesn’t want to follow the front. Any tips? Or did I make a bad choice in tire?”
“Quote: Originally Posted by alohasurftoad G-Max RS, Falken FK510 or Firestone, all good. +1 on the Falken FK510 , about 500 miles in and very quiet and comfortable. Exceptional dry/wet traction.”
Based on 63 community posts
The community widely regards the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S as a benchmark max-performance summer tire, praising its outstanding dry and wet grip, stability, and daily driving refinement. Common criticisms focus on its premium price, rapid tread wear on high-powered heavy vehicles or hot track sessions, and significantly reduced grip in cold weather. Many enthusiasts consider it an ideal street tire, though some note softer sidewalls compared to predecessors or recommend dedicated track tires for hard circuit driving.
“Quote: Originally Posted by gcurnew I got the Goodyear F1s on my car when delivered and found them surprisingly nice: good grip, quiet, compliant ride. Put PS4Ss on last year and while I'm happy with them, they are a tad noisier than the F1s with a slightly stiffer ride and no apparent difference in grip or handling. I know the Michelins are the "go to" tire and pretty much everyone raves about them...but I'm in the camp that thinks the F1s are an equivalent tire. Having had both, I would have just bought a set of F1 rears (my fronts were only partially worn) rather than a full set of Michelins. I've used Michelin exclusively for the past two decades. My car came with the F1s and was pleasantly surprised. Dare I say better than 4S? Excellent in the wet and dry and they don't seem to get greasy like the 4Ss can when pushed. Still don't know how they wear but unless performance drops off or noise suddenly goes up like with Pirellis, I might buy them again.”
“If you can burn through a set of rock hard Bridgestones in 8k miles then you must be driving like a nutter. Most will see 20k miles on the fronts. You also talk about "throwing" the car around. If you're flinging the car around, I think you'd find the car a lot more predictable on 4 tyres of the same type rather than those on the front axle being a lot gripper than those on the rear axle. I'd recommend 35psi fronts and 33psi backs, if you were running 4 x PS4s. Back end stability is a little way off the likes of a Golf GTI when you start flinging it around - rear axle grip for both wheels on a bend would be far better with multilink rear suspension (which the Polo doesn't have). I've momentarily lost the back end once when I had all Bridgestones on. My 2018 Polo GTI went tail happy doing some moderate acceleration out of a large roundabout (so large it was almost straight) when I had 4000.miles on - bone dry road on a warm day. In the outside lane, a Golf GTD gunned it at twice my rate of acceleration, with no drama. That was the incident that made me decide to ditch the Bridgestones for PS4s.”
“I got 30k miles out of the pilot sport 4s and pilot sport all season 4. The cost difference was not too bad and the all season 4 grip almost as well and are rated to 11f vs 40f for the pilot sport 4s. And they all wore evenly. Upsizing definitely made it feel more planted 245 275.”
Based on 208 community posts
| Attribute | A · Falken Azenis FK510 | B · Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 93 | 110 |
| Rim diameters | 17″ – 22″ | 17″ – 22″ |
| Tread depth | 10/32″ | — |
| UTQG | 300 A A | 300 A - AA A |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | — |
| Max pressure | 50 psi | — |
| Sizes in common | 63 | 63 |
Falken Azenis FK510
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
Winner: Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S — better comfort, efficiency and dry. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S scores 78 vs 56 on comfort.
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S scores 72 vs 50 on efficiency.
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S scores 93 vs 73 on dry.
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S scores 90 vs 71 on handling.
Falken Azenis FK510 won 5 of 8 shared wet handling tests.
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Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S, 88 vs 84 on our wet score.
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S, 93 vs 73 on our dry score.
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S, 69 vs 66 on our noise score.
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S, 78 vs 56 on our comfort score.
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S, 72 vs 66 on our treadwear score.
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S, 72 vs 50 on our efficiency score.
Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements), each result compared with every other tire in the same test and newer tests counting more. 40% comes from owner reviews found online, adjusted for how generously each site rates. Both use one scale: the average tested tire gets 70, the best 100. When a tire has only one of the two, the missing half is estimated from the other and the score stays closer to average; with no road test and fewer than five owner reviews it gets no score yet.
Handling is the exception: road tests measure it inside the dry and wet scores, so its own row comes from owner ratings only and starts as less important.
Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score. Full methodology
